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Successful Westchester County & New York City Auto Accident Lawyers

Car accidents caused by negligent drivers often result in injuries that have a serious effect on victims and their families. Those injured are often permanently disabled and need our highly qualified New York City/Westchester County auto accident lawyers to help them obtain full and just compensation. We also successfully represent families who have tragically lost loved ones in vehicular incidents as their futures are changed forever by careless operators of motor vehicles, motorcycles, buses, and trucks. We have been obtaining justice in these cases and getting unmatched results for over three decades.

If you suffer from serious injuries after an auto accident, the collision itself is only the beginning. Now you’re forced to deal with an insurance company to appraise the harms and losses and rely on them to offer an amount to cover the costs, but insurers have their own agenda. While they may act like they’re on your side, in reality, they’re often doing their best to pay out as little as possible. Our experienced and skilled auto accident lawyers specialize in working with people who’ve gone through a car crash incident involving a bus, truck, motorcycle, scooter, bicycle, pedestrian, etc., and give you a much better chance to receive the maximum compensation you deserve. We have been recognized by numerous independent sources with awards for our outstanding results and dedication to superb client relations.

Avoid Accepting an Insurance Settlement Before Consulting with an Attorney

Have you or a loved one been in a Westchester County car accident due to someone else’s negligence? You may be entitled to just compensation. Our Westchester County car accident lawyers at Peter DeFilippis & Associates can help you maximize your award. Car accidents are a leading cause of injuries nationwide, with around 70,000 annual crashes in New York City alone, often resulting in fatalities due to negligent driving and violations of traffic laws. New York State law holds vehicle owners responsible for their drivers’ actions. All accidents can lead to severe injuries, but those involving large trucks and motorcycles tend to be more devastating, as trucks can cause significant harm to smaller vehicles, and motorcycles lack the protective features of cars.

If you have been injured because of another driver’s negligence, there are steps you should follow to help protect your rights. With our experienced attorneys by your side, you can recover the full damages owed to you by law after a car accident. Car accidents are a daily occurrence in New York, Westchester, and the Bronx. If you’ve been injured in one, it’s crucial to know your rights immediately and avoid common pitfalls that insurance companies hope you’ll stumble into. Never accept an insurance settlement without consulting our attorneys. We specialize in navigating insurance negotiations and court proceedings to secure substantial compensation for medical expenses, permanent disabilities, and wrongful death.

We think those at fault should be held accountable for the unfortunate consequences of their careless driving. A lawsuit for injuries from a car wreck, truck accident, or motorcycle accident can never restore a person’s health or bring back a lost loved one. However, justice can deliver desperately needed compensation for the survivors. Though a lawsuit cannot repair devastating injuries or eliminate pain and suffering, compensation can be used to restore a modicum of dignity and comfort to the victim of another’s negligence. We fight hard for our clients to ensure the responsible parties and their insurance companies compensate those injured in cases involving NYC automobile, truck, bus, pedestrian, and other types of auto accidents.

A couple of examples of our car accident case results:

• • A twenty-eight-year-old warehouse worker was injured in a motor vehicle accident while a back seat passenger in a taxi cab was struck broadside by a speeding truck. Injuries included a fracture of the right arm and 50% hearing loss. A total damages award was rendered after a Bronx trial for $1,900,000. 

• • A 40-year-old safety consultant from Texas was hit by a distracted driver while a pedestrian crossing West 58th Street at Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, sustaining a fractured leg. He was rushed to the ER, where X-rays confirmed the injury. After a three-day trial in New York County, a favorable settlement was reached with the driver’s insurance company for $550,000.

At Peter DeFilippis & Associates, we’re passionate about personal injury law, driven by a deep commitment to justice and helping people. Our focus is on representing pedestrians injured by negligent drivers. Our skilled team, combining legal and medical expertise with cutting-edge technology, meticulously demonstrates how accidents could have been avoided with reasonable care. We document your claim comprehensively to vividly portray the real-world impact of preventable accidents. Our unwavering passion for justice fuels our mission to right wrongs for our valued clients.

We will Verify the Amount of Insurance Coverage in Writing

Insurance companies calculate potential compensation for auto accident victims by considering various factors: injury severity, resulting disability, coverage type, fault allocation, vehicle value, and repair expenses. If you’ve been in an accident, it’s crucial to consult our auto accident attorneys at Peter DeFilippis & Associates before accepting any insurance offer. Accepting a settlement prematurely, before your claim is thoroughly prepared and presented, could forfeit your right to pursue full compensation for your injuries.

Some Types of Ankle, Foot, & Knee Injuries in NYC Car Accidents

Severe injuries to the foot, knee, and ankle are fairly common in serious car accidents due to the extreme force involved and the positioning of an occupant’s leg when a collision occurs. Front-seat occupants usually have their legs and feet situated under the dashboard of the vehicle at the time of the crash. Drivers usually have their knees inches from the steering wheel and their feet and ankles near the accelerator and brake pedals. In a collision, this often means that a front seat occupant’s leg will buckle as it impacts the dashboard. The greater the force of the impact, the more pressure is exerted on the legs, feet, knees, and ankles as they impact hard surfaces in the interior of the car. Among the more common types of serious injuries that your foot, knee, or ankle may sustain in a car accident are:

• Dashboard knee – Due to the frequency of knee injuries in car accidents, an injury that is the result of an impact with the dash has been called “dashboard knee.” It essentially includes any injury to the knee that stems from an impact on the dash or other hard structures in the interior of the car.
• Fractures — “Fracture” is simply the medical terminology for a broken bone. Fractures can be displaced or non-displaced, as well as open or closed. A displaced fracture is one in which the bone has cracked and the pieces have moved so that they are no longer properly aligned. A non-displaced fracture is one in which the bone has cracked or broken but still remains essentially in alignment. An open fracture is one in which the bone has broken through the skin, while a closed fracture may show no visible outward evidence of a  fracture. A compound fracture involves multiple bone breaks.
• Strains and sprains – A sprain is an injury that involves the stretching or tearing of ligaments, while a strain involves the stretching or tearing of one’s muscles or tendons.

Recovering Damages in a Personal Injury Claim

The damages or harms and losses in personal injury cases, including automobile or other vehicular collisions, will depend on the severity of the injury and the circumstances of the accident. For a further understanding of potentially compensated harms and losses, please read Mr. DeFilippis’ article entitled, “Seeking to Understand Damages.” Common types of damages that are awarded in personal injury cases include but are not limited to:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Funeral expenses
• Past and future lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Ongoing personal care
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive damages

At Peter DeFilippis & Associates, our team comprehends the impact of severe auto accidents. We’re dedicated to guiding you through this tough period. Swiftly contacting us post-accident is vital for evaluating potential damages and losses in your injury claim. Specializing in strategic evidence collection, we aim to optimize your recovery. With a strong track record in Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Westchester, and Putnam courts, we prioritize maximizing client compensation. Time is critical; taking prompt legal action preserves crucial evidence, including injury documentation, witness information, and scene photos/videos. Before engaging with insurers or other parties, consult an experienced accident attorney to protect your rights.

We are local auto attorneys specializing in a range of car accidents and all motor vehicle cases, operating on a contingency fee basis where our payment is based upon your successful recovery. Contact us today for a private, no-cost consultation. If you’ve experienced severe injuries or loss and need empathetic legal guidance, dial 212-227-4001 or 914-478-7777. We’re accommodating and can arrange meetings at your convenience, either via remote conferencing, at your location, or in our offices located in midtown Manhattan or Ardsley (Westchester County).